Merle Oberon films: From empress to duchess in 'Hotel.' Merle Oberon films: From starring to supporting roles Turner Classic Movies' Merle Oberon month comes to an end tonight, March 25, '16, with six movies: Désirée, Hotel, Deep in My Heart, Affectionately Yours, Berlin Express, and Night Song. Oberon's presence alone would have sufficed to make them all worth a look, but they have other qualities to recommend them as well. 'Désirée': First supporting role in two decades Directed by Henry Koster, best remembered for his Deanna Durbin musicals and the 1947 fantasy comedy The Bishop's Wife, Désirée (1954) is a sumptuous production that, thanks to its big-name cast, became a major box office hit upon its release. Marlon Brando is laughably miscast as Napoleon Bonaparte, while Jean Simmons plays the title role, the Corsican Conqueror's one-time fiancée Désirée Clary (later Queen of Sweden and Norway). In a supporting role – her...
- 3/26/2016
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Ramon Novarro is Ben-Hur: The Naked and Famous in first big-budget Hollywood movie saved by the international market (See previous post: "Ramon Novarro: Silent Movie Star.") Turner Classic Movies’ Ramon Novarro Day continues with The Son-Daughter (1933), on TCM right now. Both Novarro and Helen Hayes play Chinese characters in San Francisco’s Chinatown — in the sort of story that had worked back in 1919, when D.W. Griffith made Broken Blossoms with Lillian Gish and Richard Barthelmess. By 1933, however, the drab-looking, slow-moving The Son-Daughter felt all wrong. (Photo: Naked Ramon Novarro in Ben-Hur.) Directed by the renowned Clarence Brown (who guided Greta Garbo in some of her biggest hits), The Son-Daughter turned out to be a well-intentioned mess, eventually bombing at the box office. And that goes to show that Louis B. Mayer and/or Irving G. Thalberg didn’t always know what the hell they were doing with their stars and properties.
- 8/9/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Yodelling country singer best known for Rose Marie and Indian Love Call
The singer Slim Whitman, who has died aged 90, was a noteworthy figure in country music, since, although he was hugely popular outside the Us, for most of his career he was almost forgotten in his own country. In the 1970s, two decades after his American heyday, he still commanded enough of a following in the UK to be voted the No 1 international star in a music poll – four times.
Much of the reason for his success outside the Us was his high, clear, strong singing and almost operatic yodelling, characteristics that several generations in Britain, Australia and South Africa have assimilated into their notions and fantasies of the old west of America. One of Whitman's chief models was Wilf Carter, a Nova Scotian yodeller and singer of cowboy songs who was popular throughout north America in the 30s...
The singer Slim Whitman, who has died aged 90, was a noteworthy figure in country music, since, although he was hugely popular outside the Us, for most of his career he was almost forgotten in his own country. In the 1970s, two decades after his American heyday, he still commanded enough of a following in the UK to be voted the No 1 international star in a music poll – four times.
Much of the reason for his success outside the Us was his high, clear, strong singing and almost operatic yodelling, characteristics that several generations in Britain, Australia and South Africa have assimilated into their notions and fantasies of the old west of America. One of Whitman's chief models was Wilf Carter, a Nova Scotian yodeller and singer of cowboy songs who was popular throughout north America in the 30s...
- 6/20/2013
- by Tony Russell
- The Guardian - Film News
Howard Keel on TCM: Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Show Boat, Kiss Me Kate Callaway Went Thataway is a pleasant comedy in which Keel has two roles: that of a cowboy star who spends most of his time wasted and a naive hick hired to impersonate said cowboy star. Keel is fine in both comedic roles, and so is Dorothy McGuire as the Hollywood slicker who falls for him. Fred MacMurray, as usual, is just there; also there are Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, and Esther Williams playing themselves in brief cameos. Charles Walters' Texas Carnival (1951) is a disappointingly flat Esther Williams musical. Not even Ann Miller manages to save this one. Robert Alton's Pagan Love Song (1950) uses the song and the setting — but not the story — of the 1929 Ramon Novarro blockbuster The Pagan. Nacio Herb Brown and future producer of MGM musicals Arthur Freed wrote the hit song "Pagan Love Song,...
- 8/30/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
La-La Land Records passed on info and cover art from two upcoming limited-edition soundtrack CDs for a pair of beloved horror films: Fred Dekker’s Night Of The Creeps (scored by Barry DeVorzon) and Tom Holland’s Child’S Play (music by Joe Renzetti). Burbank-area fans will have the chance to get both these discs signed, thanks to a special event at horror bookstore Dark Delicacies (4213 West Burbank Boulevard).
The Creeps soundtrack, limited to 2,000 units, includes 25 pieces of music, including 21 score tracks and four vintage songs, plus an audio interview with DeVorzon, for a total running time of 71 minutes, 26 seconds. Here are the details:
1. Main Title (3:32)
2. The Axe Man Cometh (1:15)
3. I’m Your Bud (:37)
4. Cylo Lab/It’s Alive (2:42)
5. Thrill Me’s Dream (:53)
6. Cindy’s Scream (3:43)
7. Done With an Axe (:33)
8. Screaming Like Banshees (1:23)
9. Zombie Cat/Zombie (:27)
10. The Bathroom Stall (2:38)
11. Will You Go With Me?...
The Creeps soundtrack, limited to 2,000 units, includes 25 pieces of music, including 21 score tracks and four vintage songs, plus an audio interview with DeVorzon, for a total running time of 71 minutes, 26 seconds. Here are the details:
1. Main Title (3:32)
2. The Axe Man Cometh (1:15)
3. I’m Your Bud (:37)
4. Cylo Lab/It’s Alive (2:42)
5. Thrill Me’s Dream (:53)
6. Cindy’s Scream (3:43)
7. Done With an Axe (:33)
8. Screaming Like Banshees (1:23)
9. Zombie Cat/Zombie (:27)
10. The Bathroom Stall (2:38)
11. Will You Go With Me?...
- 10/14/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Michael Gingold)
- Fangoria
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.